METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 



623 



Although the winter of 1 852-53 was a very cold one it appears 

 from the records for November 1 853 and January and P'ebruary 

 1854, that the second winter 1853-54 was much colder than the 

 first. 



Thus at the end of January for 84 continuous hours the mean 

 temperature is — 54*9°, the maximum being — 50°, and for 48 

 continuous hours the mean is — 57'12° and the maximum — 55°. 



The mean of 10 days at beginning of February, — 47*145°, is 

 the coldest on record for that time of year. 



This was the winter during which Dr. Kane wintered at Yan 

 Rensselaer Harbour, when he experienced such intense cold. 



From the Meteorological Tables at the end of Yol. II. it will be 

 seen that the Avarm winds in Wellington Channel are either from 

 the N.E. or from the S.E. 



At Beechey Island strong southerly gales are experienced on 

 the southern side, but no such breeze appears to extend up 

 Wellington Channel or even into Union Bay. 



In the table which gives a comparison of the temperatures 

 observed in various Arctic voyages from 1819 to 1855, it is shown 

 that there is a remarkable coincidence in the times of low tempera- 

 tures and in the mean amount of cold throughout the whole 

 range. 



In the northern part of Wellington Channel the warm winds 

 flow from the east (I. p. 127), and the gales come from this 

 quarter with increasing temperature. 



" Gales inevitably accompany any undue rise of temperature." 



Gales on the N.E, of Melville Island were strong from the 

 N.E. ; also animals frequent the eastern side of the north-east 

 point of Melville Island, showing that it is milder on the north- 

 east side (II. p. 48). 



6. Observations o£ Temperature of Air and Sea Water by 

 Capt. Markham (as given in Map). 



Lat. 



Longitude. 



Temp, of Sea at 

 Air. Surface. 



Deep Sea.! Depth. 









18 May - 

 7 June - 



62 N. 



75 N. 



12 „ - 



74 N. 



IS » - 



74 N. 



15 July - 



73 N. 



17 „ - 



73 N. 



21 „ - 



1 Au?. - 



74 N. 

 73 N. 



63° W. 



62° W. (Melville Bay) 



76° W. (C. Byam- 



martin.) 

 76° 30' W. (nearer 



shore.) 

 74° W. (off Pond's 



Inlet.) 

 73° W. (farther off 



coast.) 

 82°30'W.(£lwin Bay) 

 92° W.(Pury Beach) 



/ 



/ 



o / 



39 OP. 

 32 



34 OP. 

 29 



30 OP. 

 29 5 



28 5 



29 5 



29 5 



30 



37 



32 



41 9 



35 5 



32 



40 



38 2 



30 5 



37 

 36 4 



34 

 33 



29 5 



210 fathoms. 



200 (edge of 



land ice). 



190 fathoms 



190 



200 



200 



190 (bottom). 



In addition to these, which include the deep- sea temperatures 

 observed, Capt. Markham made observations on temperature of air 

 and of surface water frequently throughout July and Auo-ust in 

 Baffin's Bay and Lancaster Sound, mostly near the coast of Baffin 

 Land. 



